Insights of What Should Have Been
by Danny Drak
Summary: A collection of unrelated one-shots circling the pairing of Ty Lee and Azula. I do not own anything associated with the Avatar series...yada yada yada.
1. Chapter 1

Her brother was swaying in the masses with all the grace of a man with only one leg. Actually, as Azula observed, General Iyak was dancing better with the wooden leg than her brother. Luckily for Zuko, Mai seemed fine with his fumbling and just stood in front of him and swayed in a way that was impressively disinterested.

The celebration around her was for her father's 11th year as Fire Lord. Everyone was here. Even if the guests didn't approve of her father or what his plans for the world was, they were here and bearing gifts. Being absent would only result in their 'accidental' death.

Azula had been to ten other of these celebration. This time; however, a lot was different with this one. Her 'beloved' brother returned for his first one in a long time and he actually had a date on top of that. Her father actually bothered to show as well. His usual habit of not showing to these celebration was a power trip that her father enjoyed quite a lot.

The big difference was that there would be no males asking for Azula's hand to dance. Her father had stumbled upon her secret of preferring the female form. Instead of anger and disappointment like Azula had feared would happen, he was overjoyed. Once again, he had said, Azula had proven to be the perfect child.

Apparently, a few outer but vital colonies had began questioning Ozia's ruling. They feared that only 'model' fire benders would be allowed to live once Ozai completed his overtake of the entire world. If Ozai had no problem slaughtering the other nations, what would stop him from going after fire benders that were not quite the norm?

Azula's preference was the answer. In fact, Ozai's reputation had only increased for being so accepting to his daughter's sexual preference.

The Fire Princes was content with it. Since the announcement, Azula had been offered many nobleman's daughters, maids had thrown themselves at her, and other nations were offering up beautiful women in hopes of saving their own hides.

But Azula did not accept the invitations. She had her eyes on a singular woman. She didn't love her. No, that was a ridiculous idea. She was just _fond _of this girl.

But the girl was playing games. One wouldn't think that Ty Lee was capable of playing games. She wasn't good at them but she did try to play them.

She was playing one now. Ty Lee had two men bidding for her attention. One was brutish with bulging muscles and chiseled features. The other thinner with a more scholarly look to him. Both were very attractive and interested in Ty Lee.

But Ty Lee was not half as interested. She would do something flirting; giggle, bite her lip, or touch one of them casually but then her eyes would instantly flash to Azula to see if the princess had seen. Ever since Ty Lee had heard about Azula's preference, Azula noticed that Ty Lee seemed to be trying to trick her into admitting her love…ahem, fondess for the acrobat.

That was something that Azula would not just do.

Ty Lee's hand traced the outline of the larger male's forearm and she batted her arm. When Ty Lee's gray eyes went to see if Azula had saw, the princess glanced away like she was observing the artwork around her.

Azula knew it was a game but that did not stop the feelings. She wasn't jealous. She didn't have a reason to be when it was so clear that this was all from her benefit. No, it was a feeling of frustration that she felt. She knew that if Ty Lee would just stop being coy, that it would be Azula that Ty Lee was touching, was flirting with, and was with. But, if Ty Lee was determined to play her little games, Azula was just going to have to speed the process up.

Turning her golden eyes to the crowd, she finally found the perfect victim. The girl was shorter than Azula but taller than Ty Lee. She was one of the rare blondes in the fire nation and, because of that, she would be considered desirable. Her eyes were nearly black and her clothes left very little to the imagination.

She probably didn't like girls but, someone so desperate for attention like that, would make an exception for Azula. Straightening her back and squaring her shoulders, she began to walk into the masses of bodies.

Azula didn't need to look back to know that Ty Lee was now tilting and bobbing her head around to keep the princess in her gaze.

The blonde's friends were standing around her. When they saw her approaching, the began to grin and float away. The blonde turned towards the princess and attempted to look attractive. To anyone else, she probably would have succeeded but, to Azula, she looked silly with her hip overly cocked, her arms pushing her breasts up so much, and the pout to her lips.

"You dance?" Azula's version of an invitation. The girl looked taken back by briskness of the invitation but quickly shook it off and nodded.

Azula held her hand out and walked the two of them to a place that was well within Ty Lee's view. Azula pulled the blonde much closer that need be which the other girl was more than willing to do. In fact, the blonde seemed very susceptible to Azula's advances and made sure that there was no air between their two bodies.

Over the blonde's shoulder, Azula locked eyes with twin disapproving stares. Zuko and Mai were no longer swaying awkwardly and had decided to poke their nose in her business instead. Mai excused herself and went to Ty Lee who was glaring at Azula's dance partner.

Zuko knew what his sister was up to. He'd pretend to dislike it on the outside but, inside, he didn't know what Mai and Ty Lee had expected. The second Ty Lee decided to try to manipulate Azula's affections, he knew that Azula would not rest until Ty Lee was forced to be the one to confess.

"…of the Southern Isles."

Azula blinked. She had been watching Mai and Ty Lee converse from the corner of her eye. The dance had been engraved into her bones, so she had allowed herself to be lost in the proceedings around her. So lost that she didn't realize the blonde had been talking.

"Repeat yourself." Azula stated when the blonde stared at her expectantly.

"Did you not hear what I said?" The blonde asked timidly.

"Obviously or I wouldn't have told you to repeat yourself." Azula said testily.

"My apologies, Your Highness." The blonde quickly apologized. "I said I am Malia. Granddaughter of General Sukya and daughter of the Baron of the Southern Isles." Azula arched an eyebrow at that. If Azula hadn't already picked a suitable partner, this girl wouldn't have been a bad choice.

If Ty Lee didn't work out, maybe Azula should be careful not to burn bridges with this young lady. Personally, she did nothing for Azula. She was too tall, too submissive and not in the good way, and she didn't like the sound of her voice. Professionally, this girl would be a brilliant suitor if it got Azula a foothold in the Southern Isles.

As she was debating her next actions, the song ended and Azula saw as Mai gestured her over. Ty Lee was staring expectantly with a scowl across her face. Deciding not to make anything easy, Azula grasped Malia's forearm and pulled the young woman over.

Stopping in front of Mai and keeping an awkward hold on the blonde's forearm, Azula cocked an eyebrow. "May I help you?"

Mai just blinked slowly as she took in the blonde. "We were only interested in learning about your companion."

"Yeah!" Ty Lee squeaked. "If you are looking for a suitor, we figured we better make sure she can handle you. So," Ty Lee's gray eyes narrowed and looked piercingly into Malia's, "Can you handle Azula's wild outbursts of temper?"

Malia just blinked. She seemed tempted to shy into Azula's side but thought better of it because of the mentioned 'wild outbursts of temper'.

"I'm sure she can handle them." Azula said offhandedly. "I'm sure she has a trick or two that could…distract me from doing anything rash."

Ty Lee blanched and glared menacingly at Malia like the girl had suggested it herself. Azula tried not to smile but she could feel the traitorous tip of the right side of her lip tweak up without permission.

"I'm sure she can." Mai soothed. The assassin had spotted the lip tweak and knew exactly what the Fire Princess was doing. "But can she handle the sadistic aspect that comes with that?" Mai examined her nails and pretended not to notice the panicked look on Malia's face. "Not everyone likes it that rough, Azula. That last girl had to be taken to the looney bin after only one night."

Azula narrowed her eyes knowing well that Mai was just making up stories now. Poor innocent Ty Lee's eyes were now wide as she looked between Mai and Azula. The acrobat was suddenly trying to decide if she had another girl to be jealous of. What if this strange girl got out of the asylum? Azula had already slept with her and may do it again!

"Well…" Malia started.

"And does she even know about the branding process?" Mai drawled.

And that was all the Malia could take. It appeared that even the attractive princess's affections could not talk the girl into 'the branding process'. With an excuse of an upcoming curfew, the blonde quickly left the three teen's presence.

Azula watched her go. So much for not burning bridges, she though. That just meant that Azula couldn't let things go bad with Ty Lee.

"Well, you've managed to scare away my company for the remainder of the party." Azula faked disappointment. "Now who will I spend the rest of the night with?"

Ty Lee saw her chance. "I'm not doing anything, Princess!"

"Oh no." Azula mocked. "But I've seen you with those two handsome young men. I couldn't pull you away from such attention. I'll just find another woman to keep me company _all _night." The teen made a show of glancing around as if looking for her next victim.

"No!" The acrobat exclaimed. "I don't even like those boys. I was just killing time before I could hang out with you!" The acrobat lunged forward and clung to the Fire Princess's arm and looked up with her big gray eyes that were pleading Azula not to make her let go.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy for the talking part." Azula stated. "But I'm under strict orders that I must actually dance as well from my father."

"We can dance." Ty Lee was quick to assure Azula. "We can dance a lot. Would you like to dance with me right now?"

Mai saw the victorious grin split Azula's face. "Why, Ty Lee, with all the attention you've been giving those boys lately I would never have thought you would want my attentions in that way." She put a clawed hand to her chest and continued to mock surprise. "I hope it wasn't part of your plan to make me jealous or something."

Gray eyes filled with understanding and Ty Lee shot a sheepish look to Mai who was giving her a 'I told you not to try to outsmart Azula' look in return. Ty Lee looked up at Azula and hesitantly pulled her towards the dancing masses.

The princess allowed herself to be pulled over.

"Mai was kidding about the girl you slept with going to the looney bin, right?" Ty Lee asked meekly. Azula rolled her eyes.

"Yes she was." The princess pulled Ty Lee into her. Both hands grabbing the tunic at the small of her back possessively. Ty Lee wrapped both of her arms around Azula's neck and both girls knew that even a flash flood wouldn't make her let go. Yes, Azula was very _fond _of this girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Mai knew something was up. She and Ty Lee had only become friends a few months before, seeing as Ty Lee's family could just not afford to send the girl to the Royal Academy, but that didn't mean Mai wasn't tuned into Ty Lee's emotions.

The girl had been adopted by Azula. Mai hadn't understood why. She didn't want to admit it and would never even show it but she was a little hurt by the extension of their group. She and Azula had been best friends, or as close as you can get with Azula and Mai, for years now. The princess and the broody girl didn't like each other but they didn't dislike each other either. As far as Mai was concerned, that nearly made them family.

Mai was having a harder time accepting Ty Lee. Azula seemed fond of her. The princess had said it was like taking in a dog-hawk that had been abandoned. Mai just saw an overly emotional girl that had leeched herself to Azula and was refusing to let go.

It wasn't rare for someone to try to use Azula because of her title and, while Mai knew that Azula was used to it, it didn't mean that the dark girl was going to let it happen. In fact, she was pretty sure that was one of the reasons Azula kept her around.

But today, Ty Lee was being different. The sixteen year old was always changing colors. Her face would be ashen white one moment then a deep red another. She was fidgety and kept losing focus and retreating into her own little world. Mai would have just written it off as Ty Lee being her own odd self if not for her reaction to Azula this morning.

The golden eyed girl had strolled into class with all the confidence in the world like every morning and made her way right to the back where the three of them always sat. Like always, she complained about her staff and threw some insults around about the other students.

Then she had said, "Did you get a new blind servant, Ty Lee?" The girl had frowned and shook her head in confusion. "Then why does your hair look so absolutely hideous today?" The remark was very Azula-like. There was nothing different about Ty Lee's hair today than it had been yesterday. The insult was just a variation of one that was commonly used as well.

But today, Ty Lee flinched back like she had been struck. She teared up and ducked her head not to look up for the rest of the class. The other two girls had been at lost for what to do. Mai had seen Azula shooting glances all class to Ty Lee and Mai thought she even saw regret in the golden gaze.

As far as Mai knew, Ty Lee hadn't talked to Azula for the rest of the day.

Now they were sitting at lunch. Just the two of them. They were at a table outside the building. Azula was talking to a teacher about a mistake in the lecture. Ty Lee's head was still bowed and Mai watched as Ty Lee kept touching her hair. Mai's head suddenly cocked to the side. Did Ty Lee change her hair? She had.

"Azula didn't mean it." Mai droned. "I don't see why you had to go cry about it then change it."

Ty Lee looked up. "If she didn't mean it, why did she say it?"

"That's Azula." Mai scoffed. "Haven't you seen it before? Just yesterday she told you that you look like a giant pimple with all the pink you wear. She is like that to everyone."

"But not to me. Not normally." Ty Lee sniffled.

And it was true and it always baffled Mai. Azula seemed gentler with Ty Lee. Possibly, Mai thought, it was because the girl was sensitive enough to cry at the drop of a pin. Mai and Azula were down right awful to each other because they could take it. Mai was just as mean to Ty Lee and the girl seemed fine with it but when Azula said something…

What was the difference between her and Azula?

"You're just sad because the Fire Princess doesn't like you." Mai growled out.

"I'm sad because Azula doesn't like me." Ty Lee shot back. Mai blinked. A lot of people didn't realize there was a difference there. The grey eyed girl leaned down on the table in front of her. "I just…do you remember my first day here? Azula said she liked my hair like this, so…"

"Is that why you haven't changed the style at all?" Mai asked in disbelief. The self-conscious way Ty Lee tugged at her braid was all the answer Mai needed. "Anything to make the princess happy, huh?" Mai sneered. "What were you hoping for? That Azula would introduce you to Prince Zuko and you would going to get to be a princess?"

"No!" Ty Lee actually looked disgusted which made Mai pause. "Besides, you like Prince Zuko." The earnest look in Ty Lee's eyes struck something within Mai. "And….that's not the royal I'd want to marry."

Mai blinked. "You want to marry Azula?" Ty Lee ducked her head and nodded. "Why?" Mai loved her friend but marrying her? Even Mai didn't think she would be able to do that without having a plan to assassinate the girl first.

"Why wouldn't I?" Ty Lee asked, looking confused. "She's Azula. She's the most amazing person in the world." The teen was blushing with a dopey grin on her face. "Just being near her makes me so incredibly happy. I can't even imagine what being with her would be like. I'd probably never stop smiling."

So that's why, Mai realized. That's why Ty Lee attached herself to Azula. She didn't want Zuko, fame, or anything. She wanted Azula. She wanted the mean spirited, violent, sharp tongued, emotionally crippled, ego-maniac herself.

"When I found out that her father talked to mine about a possible pairing between the two of us, I thought that just maybe she had pushed for it." Ty Lee's eyes got glassy. "I honestly thought that she had asked her father if she could marry me but, now, I realize she probably doesn't even know he asked. She…she probably doesn't even like me."

Mai sat back. A pairing between the two of them? As far as she knew, that discussion had never happened before because Ozai thought it would look bad on Zuko if Azula got married first. Mai was counting on the day when _she _got paired with the boy but it hadn't happened yet. If Ozai was talked into it, something or someone had pushed for it.

Hearing a sniffle, she was pulled from her thoughts. Ty Lee was trying to wipe her tears away. Great, Mai thought, now she's crying. Before she could awkwardly attempt to comfort the girl, Azula strolled the around the corner.

The three girls stared at each other. Ty Lee dropped her head to the table and wrapped it up with her arms. Azula stared wide eyed at Mai who stared pointedly back. Mai then pointed to her hair and gestured to Ty Lee.

Realizing it was her comment earlier that had upset her, Azula grimaced.

Mai had never seen the princess more unsure that as she approached Ty Lee. Azula took a hand and hesitantly reached out to touch Ty Lee's shoulder. An inch away, the princess pulled her hand away and into her chest.

Azula opened her mouth before closing it again. So there is something the princess isn't good at, Mai thought with a chuckle.

Finally the princess straightened her shoulders and clenched her jaw. "Ty Lee, stop crying immediately."

Ty Lee sniffled but raised her head and began to wipe at the tears. "I'm sorry." She whimpered.

Azula swallowed. "You may not be aware of this but my father has entered into negotiations with your father about pairing us up."

Ty Lee gasped along with Mai. So Azula was aware of it.

"It would be shameful for my future wife to be crying outside on a lunch bench for the whole world to bear witness to." Azula scowled uncomfortably. "Along with being unsightly, I have come to the conclusion that I do not enjoy witnessing it, so I command you to never cry again."

Mai pressed her hand over her mouth to keep from smiling. It was surprisingly cute to see Azula struggling to comfort Ty Lee. If she was trying to make Ty Lee stop crying, she had done an awful job. Ty Lee was crying harder than ever before but, this time, she had a large smile on and was giggling as she cried.

Apparently, the combination of laughing and tears was too much for Azula to understand because the royal teen blinked once before turning and storming away. Right before she was out of sight, she whirled around. "And put your hair back the way it was! I did not hire two new blind servants for you to suddenly change how you do your hair!"

Mai realized something then and there. Ty Lee was everything Mai hated and she would probably never like her. However, Mai would love her because being with Azula made it so Ty Lee was so happy that she never stopped smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

The pink clad girl sprawled across the red comforter. She was on her stomach and swaying her ankles above her in a way that resembled a cat. Her gray eyes were watching the ruby red lips in front of her as they moved in exotic ways.

"Are you listening?" Came the sharp voice. Ty Lee glanced up to see the golden eyes staring intensely at her. She tilted her head to the side and tried to give a disarming grin. It was all the answer that raven haired princess needed.

Azula closed the thick book she was reading with a loud thump. "Because it would be rude for you not to listen when you begged me to help you study Ancient Fireabic so you wouldn't fail and have to repeat a year in the Royal Academy."

Ty Lee pouted. "But 'Zula!" She rolled onto her back. "It's so hard! No one speaks it anymore. I don't see why we have to learn it."

"It is still used among the top generals and royal family as a way to pass classified information without risk of it being picked up by spies." Azula said with irritation. "On top of that, you need to pass this class to graduate the Royal Academy. You need a foreign language credit."

Ty Lee tilted her head back to see the displeased expression on Azula's beautiful face. Knowing full well what would sooth the hardened lines from her face. "But 'Zula. Not everyone is as smart as you. This is hard for me."

At the compliment, Azula lost her irritation at the younger girl and sighed. "As true as that may be, it does not excuse your lack of attention while I have taken time out of my busy schedule to attempt to teach you."

Chastised, the teen rolled back to her stomach and crawled over to where the royal teen was sitting. "I'm sorry, Princess. I'll pay attention, I'll promise."

Once again, Azula flipped open the book. "Read this to me."

Ty Lee forward and rested her temple against Azula's bicep. She knew that it was a lame excuse to touch the other girl that Azula most undoubtedly saw through. Still the girl allowed it to happen. Ty Lee nibbled on her lip.

"_Iti bun Ljtik delua fetulika…" _

"Don't just read it." Azula growled. "Actually interpret it."

Ty Lee eyed it wearily. She recognized a few odd words here and there but there were a lot of words that she couldn't even attempt to figure out. She glanced up through her lashes at Azula but the princess stared back.

She dropped her head onto the princess' thigh. "I don't need a foreign language. I already know one."

_That _gave the princess pause. Ty Lee smiled inwardly when her eyebrows furrowed and she leaned impeciably forward. It clearly bothered her that there was something about Ty Lee that Azula didn't know. The acrobat was well aware that Azula made it her business to know everything that occurred in Ty Lee's life. Some would find it overbearing or controlling but it flattered Ty Lee to no end.

"And which language is this?" Azula asked.

Ty Lee grinned. "I am fluent in Azula!"

For the first time in many years, it was clear that the princess had been taken by surprise. "What foolishness are you sprouting?"

The acrobat grinned from ear to ear. "I speak Azula!" Seeing that same lost look in the princess' eyes, Ty Lee moved until she was sitting cross legged in front of the princess. "This is how I see it. Everyone can learn to speak Fireabic but not everyone can speak Azula. I'll show you."

Ty Lee reached forward and traced the princess' sharp eyebrows with her thumbs. "Do you know when your eyebrows shift forward like so and your lips press together just slightly, most people see nothing different but I can actually hear you saying _"I don't know something and it makes me afraid that you will, because of that, make the mistake that you are smarter than me.'"_

Watching the slight widening before narrowing of Azula's eyes, Ty Lee continued. "You see how you lean back away from me but actually move your hands closer to me? You're saying '_I don't like you knowing me so well and I want you to stop' _but, at the same time, you are telling me, _"Take my hand. Don't let me pull away. I don't want to be alone.'"_

The princess was to her feet so quickly that Ty Lee didn't even have time to blink.

"If you are so smart," Azula snarled, "Then what am I saying now." Everything about Azula's body language screamed challenge.

Ty Lee looked calmly but knew she must tred carefully. A part of the responsibility of speaking Azula is knowing when to back down.

"You're saying _"Ty Lee you are stupid and have no idea what you are speaking about and, if you continue to sprout such nonsense, I will burn your tongue off.'" _The acrobat's big grey eyes began to water as if Azula had spoken the words out loud herself.

Ty Lee covered her eyes with her hands and waited. Sure enough, she felt the bed dip and was nearly violently jerked towards the headboard.

The princess's armor was hard but it was warm and felt brilliant against her skin. Azula always held Ty Lee like one who hold a precious possession. Holding it tight enough that it ensures that no one can steal it from your grasp but not tight enough to cause any type of damage to it.

The only thing was better than lying on Azula's armor was the times when she got to lie on the girl without the armor: skin against skin where Ty Lee could hear the girl's heartbeat. Maybe if she spoke the right words of Azula language, she could convince the princess to strip herself from her armor.

It would only take an excess of attention to Azula's throat and some begging.

When the first piece of armor hit the ground, Ty Lee was thankful that, while she couldn't speak a word of Fireabic, she was fluent in Azula. The results were much more _pleasurable. _


	4. Chapter 4

They were all traitors. Azula was almost happy that Ty Lee and Mai had escaped Boiling Rock with her brother because, had they remained behind, she was sure that she would have broken every bone in their body in her rage.

And all because Mai was in love. Azula scoffed. What a ridiculous notion. Love had no place in a time of war. Especially if that love ripped you from everything and everyone you've ever known. Mai was not brave for what she had done. She was a coward.

A coward, unfortunately, that was happy as could be. Azula could only hurt Mai physically now and that would prove to be unsatisfying. For her crimes against the fire nation and, most importantly, against Azula herself, Mai deserved nothing less but emotional damage that she could never recover from.

See, Azula could kill Zuko, which would give the desired emotionally crippling blow, but Azula wanted Zuko to feel the pain of his betrayal just as badly. Ironically, the only way to do that would be to kill Mai. So, the princess was stuck. She'd have to wait until they had a cowardly child and have them killed. Long term goals.

So while she was at least 9 months away from getting revenge on Mai and Zuko, she could start on a much easier target: Ty Lee. The girl who gave up everything so Mai could be with the one she loved. Funny enough, the everything she gave up included her girlfriend who happened to be the Fire Princess.

Azula, unsurprisingly, was more upset about the betrayal to the fire nation and her father then, what she guessed, was Ty Lee breaking up with her. Her father once said "Your worth doesn't diminish because someone else doesn't see it." It didn't make Azula anything less simply because Ty Lee was too stupid to see her worth.

And while Azula didn't believe in the notion of love, Ty Lee certainly did: if the girl's inability to shut up about weddings, babies, and 'being together forever' was anything to go by. Ty Lee loved Azula which made this revenge so much easier.

It almost seemed like fate played a hand. Ty Lee betrayed her right as her father began pushing for her to get married. Boy or girl, her father didn't mind, as long as they didn't distract Azula from her part in the 'destroy all the other nations' plan.

Fate seemed almost kind. Sure, Ty Lee was gone but Azula was always more attracted to Ty Lee's physical appearance than her personality and, luckily for her, Ty Lee had many, many sisters that looked just like her. Sisters, that everyone knew, Ty Lee couldn't stand because she didn't like being considered part of a set.

Just wait until she saw Azula marrying one of her sisters. Then she'd know that the person that she thought loved her for her, saw her as an individual, could simply jump from her to her sister within days and, by the shotgun wedding, Ty Lee would come to the conclusion that Azula actually liked her sister much more than she had Ty Lee.

Azula grinned into her palm. Ty Lee would never bounce back from that. Azula would get a regular plaything that was very physically appealing without the annoyness that came with Ty Lee and, the little pink traitor, would get the punishment she deserved.

Azula swiveled her golden eyes to the girl sitting in the carriage across from her. Azula had her informants track the Avatar's newly enlarged party down to a kingdom of Vilina in the lower parts of the Fire Nation. It had a beautiful monument dedicated to the sun god and would be the perfect place for a wedding: a place where Ty Lee could see it in all its splendor.

Ty Lee's sister, MiLee, had simply been in the right place at the right time. Azula stormed into Ty Lee's parents' home and pointed at the sister that looked the most like Ty Lee and demanded to marry her. All the girls had been remarkably the same but this one, this MiLee, was just lucky enough to have the same startled and innocent look in her gray eyes to be picked.

Even now, in the back of a carriage on the way to the marriage, Azula marveled how much better this model was than the original. Where Ty Lee would have been asking a lot of questions and bouncing around, this girl was sitting poised with the grace and dignity of a noblewoman and staring out the window.

Azula almost demanded her martial rights early, especially since the carriage ride was simply so long, but decided against it. There was a slight above average chance that she may call out Ty Lee's name in the middle of the act. It would be a force of habit and nothing more, of course, but it could lead to the idea that Azula was somehow hung up on Ty Lee. Besides being completely untrue, it would give Ty Lee hope and that simply could not happen. Not if Azula was to get her revenge.

MiLee must have felt Azula's sharp eyes on her and she turned to face the princess. Azula locked eyes with her and felt a rush of pleasure when the girl's big gray eyes looked startled and she dropped her gaze to fiddle with her fingers.

Yes, Azula thought as her eyes traced the girl's well-endowed chest, this revenge was certainly going to be sweet.

The marriage went off without a hitch. The ceremony had been grand. People had come from all over the nation to witness it including her father. He had seen who she had chosen to marry and a proud smirk lit up his face.

If he had been worried about his daughter losing her way because of love, which he had during her entire little relationship with that circus girl, it was gone as he watched her marry for a reason better than love: destroying her enemies.

MiLee had looked absolutely ravishing in her dress and, the best part of it, was that there wasn't a single smudge of pink in the wedding. If she were marrying Ty Lee, everything including the dress would have been a godforsaken pink. MiLee, on the otherhand, had been content to wear the traditional clothes and had worn them with the beauty that became her.

Azula, herself, had worn black armor with the fire nation emblem on the chest. She was every bit of a fierce Fire Princess that the world knew her as. When she walked the end of aisle to wait for her bride as 'grooms' did, everyone had fallen into stunned silence. Her presence combined with her father's had managed to make an entire nation still.

When MiLee had walked towards her, Azula had a moment of confusion. Why was Ty Lee in a wedding dress and where was her betrothed? Many wouldn't have been able to tell the difference but Azula could. This girl in the beautiful red dress was not MiLee.

Her eyes had a hint of red to them like MiLee's had, not that Azula could blame the girl for crying as she was being forced into a loveless marriage, but the pain in these eyes was so much deeper. This wasn't a girl scared of marriage but one that had learned the woman she loved was getting married and she wasn't a part of it.

It was perfect. She would marry Ty Lee and, for as long as the girl wanted to, Azula would keep up the charade of thinking it was MiLee. Ty Lee was just making it harder on herself and Azula had no problem with it whatsoever.

When Ty Lee reached the end of the aisle, she snuck a look to Azula. She was hoping. She was hoping that Azula would suddenly call off the wedding, that Azula would look as heartbroken as she was, or that, most of all, Azula would recognize her.

Azula didn't give her the pleasure.

The vows were read and said and no one was none the wiser to the imposter standing beside the Fire Princess. When all was said and done and they were married, even Azula didn't know if the tears on Ty Lee's face were from sorrow or joy. She had just married the woman she loved but, as far as she knew, the woman thought she was her sister.

If Azula hadn't know it was Ty Lee at first, she would have figured it out at the kiss. The taste was simply Ty Lee. She had to wonder if MiLee would taste the same. She probably would but with a little less pain and sorrow. Good.

The consummation was just as good as the wedding because, with Ty Lee lying below her, Azula could work out some frustrations that this plan hadn't been able to completely alleviate. And Ty Lee took it all: every bite, scratch, and bruise with desperation.

Azula gave the girl, against her better judgement, a moment relief from her turmoil as she was, once again, with Azula. Azula was quick to end it when she purposely called out her sister's name instead just to see the reality rush back into Ty Lee's eyes. To see her shoulders slump in defeat and her lips begin to tremble.

Azula took Ty Lee as many times as she wanted. She knew it would be the last time she'd ever be with her, or at least she hoped so for her revenge plan's sake, and she wanted to make sure Ty Lee remembered it as vividly as possible.

The princess took her until she fell unconscious on their wedding bed. As Azula looked at Ty Lee's prone body, she was surprised to see that a drop of sweat on her body had fallen over her own eyelid. She brushed it away before she or anyone else could mistake it as a tear.

In the morning, when she awoke, MiLee was beside her. Azula never mentioned the absence of the marks she had left behind last night and simply recreated them in the morning. MiLee, as her sister had, took it but, surprisingly, seemed to enjoy it. She encouraged Azula to be harder, to do it faster, and Azula once again marveled how much better this model was.

And the girl was good for about two months. In those two months, MiLee took the brunt of Azula's rage, went through boring council meetings, and was every bit the noblewoman she was. Azula was surprised how well she got along with the girl and acknowledged that, given the proper time, she could have grown even fonder of MiLee then she had of Ty Lee.

But as fate had been kind before, it was cruel now. One day, her wife had been pressed against a tree and with Azula as passionately as any married couple a few months into their wedding and, the next, she was on her deathbed.

No one knew what illness ailed her but, under the fear it could be contagious, the girl was whisked away to a different room than her wife. Azula expected herself to care more but was surprisingly unaffected by her wife's health decline. She was even pleased that she'd get her bed to herself for a night and, she was certain, her wife would be back in their wedding bed in a week ready to make up for the lost time.

That night started as one would expect. An empty bed and a princess that was content to sprawl across it and enjoy her unobstructed range. As Azula finally decided that she should sleep, the door slowly opened.

Azula didn't need to tense up. She knew who it was before they even came into view. It was her wife. Not the one that she told everyone was her wife despite missing the wedding but the little circus freak that Azula had actually said her vows to and kissed to seal the deal.

It appeared that the revenge plan had a second part to it. The last time had not been, in fact, the last time.

"Azula?" Ty Lee whispered. "It's me, MiLee."

The royal smirked but gave Ty Lee a smile. "Who else would it be, Darling? How are you feeling?" Azula rose and walked over to Ty Lee. The girl's unique gray eyes were thirstily drinking in Azula's presence.

"Completely fine." Her wife said. "The doctors said it was the heat that got to me and sent me home." Ty Lee reached forward to lovingly touch her wife's face. "I thought I'd come here and share in the good news."

The last time the two laid together, Azula had been rough. This time; however, she kept in mind that she was supposed to believe this woman was sick and was gentle. She didn't even remember being this gentle when she and Ty Lee were dating.

And Ty Lee loved every second of it. It seemed, to Azula's pleasure, that the last person to touch Ty Lee based on her reaction must have been herself. The acrobat's body strained to be as close to Azula's as possible and tried its hardest to fuse the two together until they were a single being.

Azula was surprised to find how much she enjoyed the night. MiLee encouraged her darkside. The woman knew what words to say to get Azula riled up enough to leave blood in her wake. Ty Lee demanded of her to be gentler and, for whatever reason, the beast in Azula enjoyed the rare moment of tenderness. It liked being capable of leaving screams of pleasure in its path instead of pain.

This time, they didn't stop until both of them fell unconscious. Even when Azula felt the world begin darken, she felt Ty Lee's lips continuing as if to memorize even line of her body and extract every inch of pleasure from within her body.

When she awoke, Ty Lee was gone.

Later that day, she found that MiLee had passed. Azula mourned the loss of the woman: which one, she wasn't sure.

But wars do not stop for a dead woman, so Azula couldn't allow herself to become distracted. She had plans to see through and, even if it killed her too, she would see them completed. She doesn't think she has ever seen her father more proud of her. She remembers that he lost a wife too, so he understands. Understands, sympathies even, but doesn't pity or expect anything less of her. It keeps her going.

But, despite all of her planning, they lose. If truth be told, by Fire Nation standards, she did not lose. Her brother had broken all the rules of the Agni Ki by simply allowing a third party to enter into the fight. He had stooped low enough to have a water pheasant fight for him. He loses by principle.

But she is locked away anyway. At first it's a prison but the doctors quickly deem her unstable. They say that she wasn't in her right mind when she committed those deeds and, in fact, hadn't been in her right mind for a long time.

Some say physical abuse, some sexual abuse, and others speak of disorders that Azula has never heard of. She thinks the only thing wrong with her is that she is simply much smarter than everyone else.

There is talk about taking her fire bending away. First there is talk and then, she wakes up with her bending gone. It didn't hurt in the physical sense but the absence of her fire bending because she was insane was like a self-fulfilling prophecy. She went crazy.

They say they can fix her. The absence of a mother, the presence of a demanding father, losing a wife, being betrayed by her two best friends, and, the only stable relationship in her life, an uncle that clearly loves his nephew more is fixable, they say.

But she doesn't want to be fixed. She wants her fire bending. They say they'll give it back when she's not a danger to herself but she knows that won't happen. It's hard to lie to a liar. So, she locks herself away.

Her body may be locked away in a white padded room but her mind is locked away even more. She won't let anyone in. Why should she? Anyone that had never betrayed her; her father and MiLee were dead.

They were about to give up on her. She could see it in their eyes. She knew that patients that couldn't be fixed were sent away to be with other crazy people until the day she dies. If that's her future, she'd rather die.

So, she begins to plan. She makes it look like she's still as crazy as ever but, when no one is looking, she thinks. They know the devastating loss of one's bending usually leads to bloody ends, so she's always watched; guards, doctors, and nurses.

She could easily slash her wrist on the end of her bed, hid her hand under the sheets, and just go to sleep. It'd take them a while to realize that her sheets weren't supposed to be red but, by then, she'd already be gone.

But, she wanted them to pay. She wanted her brother to sit on the throne that he cheated from her and know that his sister's last few hours spent in pain and alone. She wanted Mai, fat and pregnant, to mourn for her first friend. The little golden eyed girl that took her under her wing and protected her after all. Most of all, she wanted Ty Lee to suffer.

It seemed that most of her life centered around making Ty Lee suffer. She should be proud. Not even the avatar was in her thoughts so much. Ty Lee was an excellent liar and conman. She must have learned it from the circus life because she had not been so deceitful before then.

She had led Azula to believe that she was in love with her. She had gone to great lengths to make Azula believe her; the first stuttering confession, the hands that shook the first time they touched naked flesh, and her constant daydreaming of pink weddings.

The woman had even gone as far to pretend to be her sister just to spend some time with Azula but, when Azula was stuck in a hospital and planning dark things, the acrobat was nowhere to be seen. She had not visited alongside her sniveling brother or the unsurprisingly sullen Mai. Hell, even the idiot village boy with the ponytail had come to see her.

Azula would make Ty Lee pay for tricking her. So, the planning began.

At first she had tried to win over the trust of the guards but they had no love of her. They had family that had been killed under her ordersand they were happy to be able to guard her: watch her as she showed the world how dangerous and crazy she really was. They had even transferred from guarding fire nation royalty to mere guard positions just to watch her waste away.

Azula changed tactics. She explained what she planned to do with herself. If they got enjoyment from seeing her crazy, she asked them, how would they like to see her dead? Unsurprisingly, they were eager to help.

Even if it was for her own self demise, Azula was pleased that she could still manipulate people as easily as she once could. How could anyone consider her crazy?

The pill was hard to come by but the guards were determined and, three days later, three white pills were delivered on her tray and safely snuggled under her roll. Azula pocketed the pills and ate while pretending to be a mindless and crazy person to please the doctors.

They left and Azula sat on the ground. She didn't want people trying to convince themselves her death was somehow not as painful simply because she had the pleasure of a bed. She held the pills in her hand and rolled them between her fingers. She was almost relieved by their presence. This would make everything okay, again.

She had promised the two guards a front row seat, so she waited until they could be present at the changing of the guards. She thought about denying them the satisfaction but the process would take a while and she didn't want them feeling betrayed enough to call a healer before it was too late.

The time came.

The guards watched eagerly as she swallowed the first pill. It was fleeting but it really tasted like apples. The second pill, she swallowed quickly after the first. She wasn't afraid, she'd change her mind but she was afraid the pills would take effect before she managed to swallow the lethal amount.

But, yet, she paused when it came to the third pill. She had nothing left here. She blamed it on self-preservation when her hand refused to bring the pill up to her mouth. As she studied it, wondering what she could have missed in her planning, one of the guards grew antsy.

He stormed over to the prone female, grabbed the pill from her hand, and began to force it down her throat. Azula, not only did not want someone manhandling her when they so obviously needed a good bathing, but she knew the guilt of being murdered would be easier than the guilt of her having killed herself for her brother and friends. She fought back.

She wanted to tell him that she'd do it herself but the man's hands covered her mouth as he tried to pry her mouth open. She struggled but the first two pills were beginning to take effect and she was becoming weak. A pain like no other was beginning to start in her stomach and it took all she had not to start screaming.

Then it was black.

When Azula woke up, she was filled it what had happened between when she had gone unconscious and when she awoken.

Apparently, Mai had decided that she would visit her old friend once again. The new Fire Queen was hoping for some improvement even if it was some form of insult from the princess. She had strolled around the corner to see a guard wrestling with a weak Azula.

She had assumed the worst, as most would, and instantly disarmed the guards. In the process, Mai had to kill both men, so she never did find out who had paid them to kill Azula with the deadly drug. It was unfortunate indeed.

Then Azula had begun screaming. Mai said she screamed so loud that people throughout the building came running: bringing a wave of healers to leap to aid the suffering princess. Her stomach had been pumped but even the small amount digested had kept the princess screaming for days on end until her voice gave out and she went quiet.

Not everyone believed that Azula was going to live and there was mixed reactions when she did. She was surprised how many people were happy for her when she had pulled through. Apparently, Azula learned, a side effect of the drug she was going to kill herself with was, in few words, craziness when administered in small doses.

How the speculations flew. The guards had been enlisted shortly after Azula was born. It wasn't out of the possibility that they had been giving Azula small douses so she would be vulnerable and mentally unstable enough to be a controllable weapon for her father. It was helpful that Zuko remembered that Azula often suffered from severe stomach pain as a child. (She used to sneak down to the kitchen and smuggle large amounts of sweets until her stomach would hurt.)

Then the guards followed her into the ward (because why else would they leave the prestigious job they once held to be guards?) where they could still administer the drugs. How everyone hated those guards. Even though Ozia and Azula had been directly connected to some of their family's deaths, they had overlooked it for money to keep Azula under Ozia's control. The guards were monsters.

Poor Azula, the masses cried. The princess was not cruel at all but a victim like the rest of them. And victim did Azula play. When she realized her luck, she went through the long act of going through withdrawals. If she had been on this drug as long as people thought, she concluded, she'd have some kind of withdrawal.

And the people ate it up. It was the last piece of proof that people needed to forgive all of her horrendous war crime. Even nations that she had nearly wiped out were sending her presents. To top it off, Azula got the revenge she wanted on her family and friends.

Zuko was disgusted with himself. He was supposed to be her big brother and protect her. Instead, he had been so consumed with jealousy that he hadn't noticed that his father was drugging her and using her. He had told her such through sobs as he held her hand and leaned over her hospital bed.

Mai was in a similar state though it involved no tears. She had known Azula when they were kids and she could remember little glimpses of Azula being sweet as if she was someone else. How guilty she felt when she realized that had been the true Azula shining through the drugs but Mai had brushed it off as nothing. She should have known something was up. She should have helped.

Her uncle apologized for hours upon hours. Zuko had reminded him of his son and he couldn't resist the urge to protect him from his father but, by doing that, he had left her to fend for herself when she had needed him. Iroh stated he should have known his brother was capable of it. When Azula thanked her uncle for his apology, the man began to blubber.

And, ahhh, Ty Lee. The woman had burst into Azula's room and gave everyone a visible fright. The girl grabbed Azula's head and stared deep into her eyes. For a moment, Azula was afraid that Ty Lee would see the truth. And, for a second, Azula was sure that Ty Lee did but she wanted for this tale of Azula being drugged for fifteen years to be true so badly, that she quickly deluded herself into thinking it was.

Her apology was the longest which was surprising because Ty Lee never said a word. She just curled up in Azula's lap and stared at her lovingly. Azula returned the stare and did what she never thought she'd do. She kissed Ty Lee's temple, forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, and lips with little pecks until the girl was giggling and trying to playfully escape.

It melted the hearts of anyone that saw it along with the doubts that Azula was cured of her drug induced behavior.

It was odd to be given trust again, Azula marveled. She'd been released from the hospital nearly two years ago and, in that time, she had been remarried, became an aunt, given her title of princess back, and started training her brother's army.

Her wife, Ty Lee, was strolling beside her and prattling on and on about children while Azula pretended to listen. Ty Lee was determined that one day, she'd carry Azula's baby. Azula didn't think Ty Lee knew how babies were made but it wasn't in her vows to explain it, so she didn't.

She'd wait a few more years before she went through with her plan to murder her new little nephew to get her revenge on Mai and Zuko. In a few more years, she' d kill them and take over the nation once again.

She glanced at Ty Lee through the corner of her eyes and reached over to take the woman's hand and give the knuckles a loving kiss. Ty Lee melted.

Yes, she'd still get her revenge on Ty Lee. In fact, it was the worst revenge Azula could possibly think of. She'd make Ty Lee stay with her until the day they died. It wouldn't matter what Ty Lee wanted once Azula's other long-term goals came to be, Ty Lee had told Azula they'd be together forever and that is exactly what Azula was going to make her do.


End file.
